By the time Stephen Coleman was 5, the roar of engines and rush of adrenaline had
him hooked on racing. He started racing go-karts at his local short track, moved into
working on a legend car at 12 and eventually took on the challenge of rebuilding a
NASCAR Modified from the chassis up before being allowed to race it. That early introduction
to motorsports sparked a lasting passion for mechanical design and engineering.
Now a junior at 91成人AV, Coleman is pursuing his engineering degree as a student in the Cost Honors College. His academic drive matches his competitive spirit on the track. 鈥淪tephen is a highly motivated and intellectually curious student, the ultimate definition of an honors student,鈥� said Dr. Lisa Sutherland, executive director of the Honors College and interim dean of the Davis College of Business & Technology. 鈥淗e constantly seeks out more experience in areas he loves, like automotive engineering and racing and ties it back to his academic studies.鈥�
This summer, Coleman landed a coveted role as an assistant engineer for Alpha Prime Racing, a three-car NASCAR Xfinity Series team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity that came through persistence,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淚 sent more than 500 emails to race teams, industry professionals and NASCAR headquarters before securing the internship.鈥�
It was an internship experience spent in the fast lane. 鈥淭here was no set day-to-day,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne day I was tearing down and rebuilding cars, assisting crew chiefs with setups, working in the simulator with drivers, or designing and fabricating parts. On race days, I set up pit equipment, made adjustments between sessions, caught tires and fuel cans and handled mid-race repairs.鈥�
One highlight came during driver Lavar Scott鈥檚 NASCAR Xfinity debut at Dover, where the team posted the third-fastest practice time out of 40 cars. 鈥淲e beat some of the biggest names in NASCAR, including Connor Zilisch, Matt DiBenedetto, and Ross Chastain,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淭hat was unforgettable.鈥�
鈥淪tephen doesn鈥檛 just lean into opportunities provided to him, he makes opportunities for himself,鈥� said Sutherland. 鈥淗e鈥檚 constantly striving to be the best version of himself while supporting his classmates. I am beyond proud of his achievements.鈥�
Coleman鈥檚 long-term goal is clear. 鈥淚 want to become an innovative motorsport engineer who helps elevate the performance of every team I join,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his internship affirmed that motorsports is where I want to be. It鈥檚 competitive, it鈥檚 demanding and I love it.鈥�
